Zigzag work-jogging attachments for sewing machines



Sept. 14, 1965 Tosi-uo KODERA 3,205,844

ZIGZAG WORK-JOGGING ATTACHMENTS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 15. 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 14, 1965 TosHlo KODERA 3,205,844

ZIGZAG WORK-JOGGING ATTACHMENTS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb.' l5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

United States Patent 3,205,844 ZIGZAG WORK-.IOGGING ATTACNTS FOR SEWING MACHINES Toshio Kodera, Aichi, Japan, assigner to Brother Precision Ind. C0., Ltd., Aichi, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Feb. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 258,840 Claims. (Cl. 112-160) The present invention relates to zigzag work-jogging attachments for sewing machines of the ordinary type including a presser bar and a vertically reciprocating needle bar, and is particularly intended to provide a zigzag work-jogging rattachment of the character described having an improved zigzag pattern control.

According to the present invention, there is provided a zigzag work-jogging attachment for a sewing machine which comprises an attachment frame, a pattern plate mounted for reciprocation on said attachment frame longitudinally thereof and formed with a pattern aperture including a plurality of adjoining sections corresponding to respective diiierent zigz/ag patterns, an actuator mechanism for imparting longitudinal reciprocatory movement to said pattern plate, which is operably connected with said actuator mechanism and adjustable in longitudinal position relative thereto, and a Work-jogging plate operable in engagement with any desired one of said pattern sections of said pattern aperture in said pattern plate.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention and in which: v FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line yII-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pattern plate; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of arrows V-V in FIG. 2.

In the drawings:

Reference numeral 1 generally represents a pattern plate having an elongated pattern aperture 2 including a plurality of pattern sections longitudinally arranged in adjoining relation to each other and corresponding to respective different zigzag patterns. An operating plate 3 is formed integrally with the pattern platev V1, which also has an elongated aperture 5 with engaging notches 6 formed along one side edge thereof. Reference numeral 7 indicates a base plate having a depressed portion 8 extending longitudinally thereof and slidably receiving the pattern plate 1. Reference numeral 9 indicates an actuator plate with its base portion 9 ernbracing a cam disc 11 mounted fast on a cam shaft 10 so that the actuator plate 9 is reciprocated longitudinally yas the cam disc 11 rotates. The actuator plate has at its rear extremity a lug 9" formed to engage any selected one of the notches 6 formed in the pattern plate 1. A manually operated release lever 4 arranged on the attachment frame 12 is loosely tted over a pin 13. The lever 4 is held `at one end in engagement with said actuator plate 9 under the downward bias of a spring S. Thereby actuator plate is held in a particular notch in the pattern plate 1. When the lever 4 is raised against the action of spring S, the plate 9 is raised to free lug 9 from the notches such that plate 9 may be adjusted relative to the frame to engage lug 9" in any desired notch. Reference numeral 14 designates an oscillating plate having at its rear end .a lug 15 in sliding engagement in the pattern aperture 2. Provided on the plate 14 is a roller 16 fitted in a groove cam 17, which is mounted fast on a shaft 10 arranged horizontally on the frame.

Inscribed on the outside surface of the pattern plate 1 are a series of zigzag patterns 20, which are to be formed by employing the respective pattern sections of the pattern aperture 2 formed in the pattern plate, and score lines 21 for the respective patterns 20. An indicator point 21 is formed on the base plate 7 for cooperation with the score lines 21. Numeral 22 indicates a retainer spring.

A lever arm 18 is operatively connected, with the cam shaft 10 by way of a pawl-and-ratchet device 19.

In use of the attachment, the lever arm 18 is connected at its front extremity with the needle bar for vertical oscillation about the axis of the cam shaft 10 with the vertical reciprocation of the needle bar. The vertical oscillation of the lever arm 18 causes rotation of the cam shaft 10 through the pawl-and-ratchet device 19.

The oscillating plate 14 is laterally oscillated about lug 15 by the form of the groove 17 in the cam cooperating with the roller 16. The lug 15 is held in engagement in the pattern aperture 2. On the other hand, the rotation of the cam shaft 10 with disc cam 11 causes longitudinal reciprocatory movement of the pattern plate 1 over a predetermined distance by way of the actuator plate 9. Consequently, the longitudinal position of the lug 15 in the pattern aperture periodically varies so that the lateral oscillation of the oscillating plate 14 has a varying amplitude and a reference line varying in lateral position. It is to be noted that, by selecting one of the engaging notches 6 for engagement with the extremity 9" of the actuator plate 9, any desired oscillatory movement can be given to the workjogging plate 14.

In operation, the rotation of the groove cam 17 drives the oscillating plate 14 and causes lateral parallel movement of the same through the intermediary of the roller 16 which is in engagement with the cam 17 and groove 17. On the other hand, because of the frictional drag action acting upon' the presser foot at the end of the plate 14, the plate 14 also tends to pivot about the presser foot. However, such foot itself must undergo oscillation when the lug 15 on the other end of the oscillating plate 14 is brought into engagement with the side wall of said selected pattern aperture 2.

Thus, the plate 14 causes said presser foot to oscillate about the point of engagement between said lug 15 and pattern aperture 2, against the drag applied to the end gf plate 14 to jog the work fabric beneath said presser oot.

It will be noted that the amplitude of such oscillation is inversely proportional to the Width of the groove in said pattern aperture 2. Thus, when the width of the groove in said aperture 2 is substantially the same as the width of lug 15 in the oscillating plate 14, the lug 15 cannot be displaced laterally in the groove and thus the oscillating plate 14 oscillates, having the lug 15 as the center of oscillation, with said presser foot oscillating at the maximum amplitude which the groove cam 17 can produce and thereby zigzag stitching of maximum amplitude is performed. On the other hand, when the width of said aperture 2 is so formed as to permit said lug 15 to undergo lateral parallel movement in the aperture 2 by the action of said groove cam 17 lat an amplitude equivalent to the predetermined maximum amplitude of the oscillating plate 14, the oscillating plate 14 oscillates with the presser foot 14 as the center of oscillation, thereby retaining the presser foot 14 stationary, `and whereby a straight stitching can be performed. Rotation of the cam disc 11 causes reciprocation of the actuator plate 9 lengthwise of the attachment, which in turn causes lengthwise reciprocation of the pattern plate 1 through the interengagement of the lug 9 on the plate 9 and the notch 6 in said pattern plate 1.

Thus, the selected pattern aperture 2 in the pattern plate 1 is reciprocated relative to the lug 15 formed on said oscillating plate 14 to vary the amplitude of the oscillation of said presser foot in accordance with the configuration of the pattern aperture 2. In this manner, zigzag stitches in the desired pattern can be formed continuously until operation of the sewing machine is interrupted.

As apparent from the foregoing, according to the present invention, since the pattern plate has a number of, actually, ten or more pattern sections available for forming zigzag stitches of diiferent patterns without the need of providing as many pattern plates to be replaced each time a different zigzag pattern is wanted as with conventional work-jogging attachments. In addition, since the pattern sections are formed continuously along ,a single elongated pattern aperture, any pattern section can be employed jointly with parts of the adjoining sections and thus the number of available zigzag patterns may advantageously be doubled with a length of the pattern aperture corresponding to the sum of lengths of pattern apertures formed in respective conventional pattern plates.

Having described one preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that it is not limited to the details set forth but many changes and modications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An ornamental zigzag stitching attachment for use with a sewing machine comprising, an attachment frame having a transverse slot, an actuating lever pivoted to said frame for vertical oscillating movement as a consequence of vertical endwise reciprocation of the needle bar of the sewing machine, an oscillating plate supported on said frame for lateral oscillatory movement, oscillating means for converting the vertical oscillatory movement of said actuating lever into lateral oscillatory movement of said oscillating plate, said oscillating plate having a presser foot at one end thereof which is held under pressure against work fabric therebeneath, said oscillating plate tending to oscillate about said presser foot as a center of oscillation, a pattern plate supported on said frame for movement lengthwise thereof and having a pattern aperture for controlling the lateral oscillatory movement of said oscillating plate, reciprocating means for converting the vertical oscillatory movement of said actuating lever into lengthwise reciprocatory movement of said pattern plate, and a lug on said oscillating plate at the end thereof remote from said presser foot, said lug being in engagement with said pattern aperture to cause said oscillating plate to be oscillated by said oscillating means about an axis of oscillation which may be displaced from said presser foot in accordance with the degree of engagement of said lug in the pattern aperture whereby the amplitude of oscillation of the oscillating plate at said presser foot is varied in accordance with the configuration of the pattern aperture.

2. An ornamental zigzag stitching attachment as claimed in claim 1 in which said pattern aperture has the form of a series of pattern grooves joined with each other, the attachment further comprises manually operated means for selectively associating said pattern grooves with said reciprocating means to thereby provide a plurality of oscillating patterns of the oscillating plate with magnitudes corresponding to the particular selected pattern groove.

,3. An ornamental zigzag stitching attachment as claimed in claim 2 comprising means for releasing the manually operated means for moving said pattern plate lengthwise thereof to place selected of said pattern grooves in operative position, and means for indicating the stitch pattern to be stitched under control of any selected pattern groove and including an indicium on said pattern plate on one side of the attachment and indicia carried on the attachment frame for alignment with said indicium on said pattern plate one at a time depending on the relative position of the frame and plate.

4. An ornamental zigzag stitching attachment as claimed in claim 1 in which said oscillating means includes a pawl pivoted to said actuating lever, a ratchet wheel rotatable in cooperation with said pawl, a grooved cam supported for rotation with said ratchet Wheel, and a roller carried on said oscillating plate intermediate the ends thereof and supported in the groove of said grooved cam.

5. An ornamental zigzag stitching attachment for use with a sewing machine having a presser bar and a needle bar, said attachment comprising an attaching member for connecting the attachment to the presser bar of the sewing machine, an attachment frame having a side wall and bottom Wall and secured to said attaching member, a base plate secured to said attachment frame so as to be suitably spaced from the bottom wall thereof, an oscillating plate arranged between the base plate and the bottom wall of said attachment frame and including a presser foot at one end extending outwardly, a downwardly extending lug on the other inner end, a roller .at the intermediate portion of the plate extending through a laterally elongated slot provided in the bottom wall of said attachment frame in loose engagement therewith to guide lateral movement of said oscillating plate, a pattern plate arranged between the oscillating plate and said base plate for lengthwise displacement of the attachment, said plate having a series of pattern sections continuously formed thereon extending lengthwise thereof and having a width at least greater than that of the lug of said oscillating plate for receiving the lug therein and for suitably controlling the lateral oscillatory movement of said oscillating plate, a cam shaft rotatably supported on the side wall of said attachment frame, a lever arm having one end rotatably supported on said cam shaft and an opposite end in engagement with the needle bar of the sewing machine for oscillation in cooperation with the vertical reciprocatory movement thereof, a ratchet pawl pivotally mounted on the lever arm to cause rotation of said cam shaft upon oscillatory movement of the lever arm, a ratchet wheel secured to said cam shaft and rotating by engagement with said ratchet pawl, a groove cam secured on said cam shaft and provided with a peripheral groove, the roller supported by said oscillating plate always being in engagement With the groove in the groove cam for thereby moving said oscillating plate laterally as the cam rotates, a rotary disc secured on said cam shaft, an actuatlng plate supported on said attachment frame and engaged with the pattern plate to drive the same in reciprocating movement lengthwise thereof as the rotary disc rotates and manually operated means for disengaging the actuating plate from said pattern plate to enable moving the pattern plate lengthwise thereof to select a particular pattern section in said pattern aperture which will be engaged in stitching, such that when the presser bar of the machine is lowered to hold a work fabric under pressure, the oscillating plate which is driven by the rotation of the groove cam tends to oscillate about the presser foot as the center of oscillation, which in turn causes the lug at the other end of the plate to engage the side wall of said pattern aperture, and said presser foot is thus caused to oscillate and the amplitude of oscillation of the presser foot is varied in accord- 5 ance with the configuration of the selected pattern sec- 2,655,119 tion to thus form stitches in a desired pattern. 2,770,206 2,890,668 References Cited by the Examiner 3,039,412

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,405,253 8/46 Hickey 112-160 X 2,649,063 8/53 Russell 112-77 6 Enos 112-160 Baehr et lai. 112-160 Johnson et al. 112--77 Kodera et al. 112-160 ROBERT V. SLOAN, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. AN ORNAMENTAL ZIGZAG STITCHING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH A SEWING MACHINE COMPRISING, AN ATTACHMENT FRAME HAVING A TRANSVERSE SLOT, AN ACTUATING LEVER PIVOTED TO SAID FRAME FOR VERTICAL OSCILLATING MOVEMENT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF VERTICAL ENDWISE RECIPROCATION OF THE NEEDLE BAR OF THE SEWING MACHINE, AN OSCILLATING PLATE SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME FOR LATERAL OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT, OSCILLATING MEANS FOR CONVERTING THE VERTICAL OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING LEVER INTO LATERAL OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID OSCILLATING PLATE, SAID OSCILLATORY PLATE HAVING A PRESSER FOOT AT ONE END THEREOF WHICH IS HELD UNDER PRESSURE AGAINST WORK FABRIC THEREBENEATH, SAID OSCILLATING PLATE TENDING TO OSCILLATE ABOUT SAID PRESSER FOOT AS A CENTER OF OSCILLATION, A PATTERN PLATE SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND HAVING A PATTERN APERTURE FOR CONTROLLING THE LATERAL OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID OSCILLATING PLATE, RECIPROCATING MEANS FOR CONVERTING THE VERTICAL OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING LEVER INTO LENGTHWISE RECIPRICATORY MOVEMENT OF SAID PATTERN PLATE, AND A LUG ON SAID OSCILLATING PLATE AT THE END THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID PRESSER FOOT, SAID LUG BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PATTERN APERTURE TO CAUSE SAID OSCILITATING PLATE TO BE OSCILLATED BY SAID OSCILLATING MEANS ABOUT AN AXIS OF OSCILLATION WHICH MAY BE DISPLACED FROM SAID PRESSER FOOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DEGREE OF ANGAGEMENT OF SAID LUG IN THE PATTERN APERTURE WHEREBY THE AMPLITUDE OF OSCILLATION OF THE OSCILLATING PLATE AT SAID PRESSER FOOT IS VARIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONFIGURATION OF THE PATTERN APERTURE. 